At an early age and having a family history of FAP, for which I was screened, I was told that, like my two older brothers, I carried the gene (my mother was the first and she passed away a couple of years later). My sister was also discovered to have the gene. So from as early as in my 20's, I carried out regular screening.

At the age of 35 I started experiencing rectal bleeding so my GP recommended I have a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy confirmed three growths located within my bowel. After seeing my GP it all happened within weeks, it all seemed so fast yet very professional.

After being diagnosed I was required to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. Two weeks before Christmas I commenced my radiation cycle which included trips to radiology every day for 6 weeks and chemotherapy in a tablet form, which included 3 pills, twice a day.

In January last year my identical twin sister (29 years of age that year) Christina was experiencing pain in her stomach all day. When I arrived home she advised she was still experiencing pain and we made her attend the Hospital thinking perhaps it was her appendix.

So it’s been a year now since a surgeon at the Alfred Hospital walked into my room and said you can go home we found tumours, Cancer, so we will be in touch. Obviously when I took myself to the hospital emergency room at 1am in an Uber, I did not think this was going to be the result, I probably would have preferred to have someone with me like family, when I was told.